Capitals introduce coach Trotz and new GM MacLellan, who criticized ownership in interview

On Tuesday afternoon in Washington D.C., Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and team president Dick Patrick introduced their new brain trust, which includes new general manager Brian MacLellan and new head coach Barry Trotz. Together they'll steer the Capitals through what owner Leonsis was careful to describe as a "refresh" rather than a "rebuild."

Describing the dual hirings as "a bold decision," Leonsis described at length his interview process for the successor to long-time Capitals general manager George McPhee, who was fired this past April. Leonsis said the club interviewed 15 or so candidates, though they never spoke to Wayne Gretzky about the job.

It was MacLellan who caught Leonsis' eye, and he did it by "pulling a Costanza," as Pro Hockey Talk described it. 

"I'll tell you that (MacLellan) led off with some of the things that I have to do to be a better owner," Leonsis told the gathered press. "I thought that was very brave and very astute, because you don't want to hear things like that."

Leonsis praised the new Capitals general manager for being straightforward, brave, honest, and authentic in telling him what he felt was going wrong for the organization on the ownership side of things. "I liked that brutal honesty he brought," continued Leonsis.

Asked about the exchange, MacLellan said, "I didn't think I had anything to lose." He then elaborated on what he was trying to communicate with Leonsis with his bold, critical, interview gambit: "The important point I was trying to make is that I think the team feels when there's a disconnect, or not a unified philosophy from ownership to management to coach.

"I think all three of us need to have a team approach going forward, anything we communicate or live by going forward will come from team, and we'll speak it."

In contrast with MacLellan who required a catchy ploy to beat out a field of 15, Barry Trotz was the only coach the Capitals interviewed. During his introductory comments, Trotz addressed his history with the Capitals organization. The long-time Predators coach got his first professional head-coaching job with the AHL's Baltimore Skipjacks (now known as the Portland Pirates), while they were a Capitals affiliate and said returning to Washington "Feels like ... coming home."

Trotz's teams in Nashville were best known for playing a 200-foot game and deploying a generally conservative offensive philosophy, although that may have been tailored to the personnel he had to work with. Asked about what style the Capitals will play under his stewardship, Trotz held his cards close to the vest:

I always say, you don't know until you own it. My first priority is to reach out to all existing staff members, all the players ... To find out more about the group and that's where it starts. 

Then from there, as an outsider ... there's a lot of talent up front, a lot of goal scoring. We've talked a lot about math and numbers, well, the only math question I want solved is that we have one more goal than the other team every night, that's a good sum. There's a lot of good pieces ... There's pretty good depth, they've drafted pretty well, and I'll get an opportunity to work with these young men. 

Trotz added that he spoke with former Nashville Predators forward and current Capitals winger Joel Ward about the Capitals, and that Ward had nothing but praise for the people and players in the organization.